General Secretary of Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind (JUH), Maulana Mahmood Madani on Friday urged the President of India to use the power of his office to stop “the communally targeted and draconian Citizenship Act”. He also appealed to the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of the new law.
JUH on Friday held protest demonstrations across the country. Addressing the demonstration in Jantar Mantar, Mr. Madani said that the law was against the Constitution of India which denies discrimination on the basis of religion. He also exhorted the Muslim youths to maintain peace and tranquillity.
Maulana Niaz Ahmad Farooqui, Secretary of JUH, while addressing the demonstrators said that though the Act has been passed by both Houses of Parliament, the battle has just begun now. “Muslims never think about profit and loss while raising their voice against injustice but they are guided by their religion and faith which urges to raise voice whenever the injustice is committed,” Mr. Farooqui said.
The protesters submitted a memorandum to the President of India in which they said that the Act uses religion as legal criterion for determining Indian citizenship and that the intent of the Act to provide refuge to persecuted minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan seems to camouflage the discrimination and division on the basis of religion.
“We appeal to all justice-loving and secular people to raise their voice collectively and employ every peaceful and legal means to lodge their protest to stall its implementation,” the JUH said.
